Cold Calling

If Public Speaking and Death are regarded as the top two experiences people dread most, Cold Calling must certainly fall in the top five. Regardless of which theory one subscribes to - cold calling is dead, or cold calling is a viable means of attracting new clients – there are those who excel at the art of cold calling and rely on it for their success.

Cold Calling is the process of contacting prospective customers by telephone who are not expecting such a solicitation. The key to the cold call is to gain the interest of the prospect quickly and engage them in a conversation about the product or service that you are selling. Here are a few tips to increase your cold call prospecting results:

• Overcome your Reluctance – you'll never succeed in cold calling if you never pick up the phone
  
• Research your Prospects – the more you know about those who you are calling, the easier to engage them in conversation
  
• Prepare an Opening Statement – you have about 15-20 seconds to capture the prospect's attention; use them wisely
  
• Make Gatekeepers your Allies – assistants and secretaries will absolutely make or break you; try to get them on board with you
  
• Make your Words Count – don't waste your precious time on phrases such as “How are you doing today?”
  
• Rinse and Repeat – 80% of new sales are made after the fifth contact; your persistence will be rewarded